Colony fifth/sixth-graders fall in title game

ANCHORAGE -- The Colony Knights' green team, the best fifth/sixth-grade football team in the Matanuska Youth Football Association, went to play Anchorage's best team, the Mears Panthers, to decide the fifth/sixth-grade state championship Monday at Anchorage Football Stadium.

Both teams came into the game undefeated.

Despite a great effort by the Knights in freezing temperatures, however, the Mears squad won 34-8 in a game decided by several big plays from the Panthers.

"We didn't have enough tough games in the Valley this season," said Colony coach Loren Rupe. "We were a little unprepared for them."

The game started badly for the Knights when a Mears running back took the first play from scrimmage 80 yards down the right side for a touchdown, giving the Panthers a 6-0 lead just into the game.

Mears added touchdowns from 46, 13, 71, and 44 yards. The Knights' defense did well to stop the Panther attack, but gave up long plays for touchdowns.

Colony had some opportunities early in the game. The Knights responded to Mears' first touchdown with a good drive of their own, taking the ball down to Mears' 15-yard line behind the running of Dillon Aafedt, Antone Zagars, Jesse Thornock, and Thor Saum. The drive stalled when the Knights came up short of the first down by inches.

Colony got the ball back four plays later when the Knights swarmed a Mears running back and knocked the ball loose. Colony started again from Mears' 28-yard line but could not mount a drive and punted back to the Panthers. The punt went off the hands of the Mears' return man and Colony recovered the ball on Mears' 26-yard line.

The Knights were able to get the ball down to the 21-yard line before Mears' defense tightened again to stop Colony and take over on downs.

Colony scored its touchdown on a 9-yard run up the middle by Saum with 5:38 left in the game. The touchdown was set up by a great 19-yard run by Zagars. Zagars took the hand off and bounced around the left side to break open before he was tackled at the 9-yard line.

Aafedt added the two-point conversion with a run up the middle.

"We had a great season, these kids played tough all season," said Rupe. "We ran into a good team here tonight."